Inside Texas Tuesday Q&A: The Biggest Post-Season Month on the Calendar

It’s December again which means there are quite a few bullet points on Steve Sarkisian’s punch list. On his agenda: Program audit, player meetings, portal scouting and budgeting, potential coaching turnover, and oh yeah, bowl practice which started on Monday. Sark’s plate is more full than John Candy’s in The Great Outdoors.

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The importance of December will bleed well into January with the portal officially opening on January 2 and running until January 16.

Given the above, there was no shortage of questions from the IT community. Here are a handful of questions and answers, keeping in mind the more sensitive replies are behind the subscription wall.

Best guess on when we start seeing movement on coaching staff? I assumed it would be post ESD but before bowl game. – CKey

It seems like Sark is taking a methodical approach. I guess he doesn’t feel the need to hurry or still isn’t sure what he’s going to do in a case or two. I think he has a pretty good idea, though. 

Unless he’s going to lose a replacement candidate he wants, I don’t get the rush. Texas is in the same boat as a ton of other schools still looking to finish the season. 

Best guess: after the bowl game.

What position(s) do you see Texas opening up the check book for in the portal? Based on what you’ve wrote we are in a “must get” situation at iOL and DL.

After those additions, would the staff still consider high price tags at DB, WR, or RB?

Traditionally speaking, sark and co. have not been willing to tackle the big fish at skill positions in the portal and look to spend efficiently on risers over high-end commodities. Curious if that strategy would change and Texas goes whale hunting – Steerclear

iOL and RB first and foremost. 

I don’t think I said “must get” for DL. They do need to complement the current group but they don’t need to break the bank there. 

RB is going to be relatively expensive. There are a couple of guys I’m waiting to see what they do. 

WR could be relatively expensive if they lose someone like, e.g., DeAndre Moore. 

I’m not sure if they’ll spend much on DB. Retaining Jelani McDonald won’t be cheap. 

Everybody’s definition of a whale is different. Adonai Mitchell and Matthew Golden were studs before they got to Texas.

I don’t see them going for a Cam Coleman type of receiver. Jadan Baugh isn’t leaving Florida. Etc.

What’s more important for the bowl game; getting the win or letting the younger players get real game experience. – fctexas157

Those aren’t mutually exclusive, depending on which younger players you want to get real game experience. The big name stud freshmen should play a lot but we should also see James Simon, Daylan McCutcheon, Kaliq Lockett, etc.

Do you think this bowl game could jump start a breakout campaign for 2026? I’m going with Justice Terry. – 903 Coop

I’ll go Nick Townsend. He’ll play more snaps than Terry next year, imo.

Who are the 15 bowl practices going to be the most significant for? And which young players will you be looking at the most to increase their workload in the bowl and give us a glimpse into what their 2026 will be like? – jtsween

1. Jonah Williams because he missed August camp and will miss the spring. 

2. The elite true freshmen: Justus Terry, Kade Phillips, Graceson Littleton, Nick Townsend, Jonah Williams.

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